Work is under way on a new housing complex for Allen Community College.
The three-story sixplex — situated near a series of ACC duplexes along White Boulevard — should be finished by the time the 2012-13 school year begins in August.
Steve Troxel, vice president for finance and operations, told college trustees Thursday that work is “pretty much on schedule,” despite a couple of delays at the outset, including a change order that will tack an additional $6,716 onto the price tag.
Troxel said Iola city officials forced the college to push a parking area for the duplex an additional 28 inches off of White, to provide ample room in case road construction was ever necessary.
Twenty-eight inches may not sound like much, “but that’s a lot of volume for concrete,” Troxel noted.
The concrete pad for the building was poured Monday.
In a related matter, trustees approved a bid from Contract Supply, Prairie Village, to provide furnishings — beds, couches, dressers and desks to accommodate 24 students — at a price of $34,573.30, the lowest of three received. The bid includes an $850 installation fee, provided the company can install the furniture when needed. Otherwise, $850 will be deducted from the bid.
Randy Weber, vice president for student affairs, told trustees several students already have expressed an interest in renting room in the sixplex in the fall.
“There’s quite a bit of buzz, even though it’s nothing but a pad of concrete now,” Weber joked. “I guess if we build it, they’ll plan to come.”
TRUSTEES VOTED 5-1, Larry Manes opposed, to continue the college’s participation in Iola’s revitalization program through May 2015.
Through the program, residents or business owners who improve their property’s appraised values at least $10,000 in certain areas in town get refunds on property taxes they would pay with the improvements. Taxes must be paid and then are rebated, less 5 percent withheld by the county for administration.
Iolans living in neighborhoods bounded by the city limits on the east and west, Neosho Street on the south and Carpenter and Garfield streets on the north, are eligible.
Inclusion in the program means no property tax payments to Iola, ACC, USD 257 or Allen County for six years, with taxes then phased in at 20 percent a year.
The program relies upon an inter-local agreement between the city, Allen County, USD 257 and ACCC, Code Enforcement Officer Jeff Bauer explained.
